


Cole Appreciation Week 2020

by Five_Foot_Hobbit



Series: Ninjago Prompts [1]
Category: Lego Ninjago
Genre: Both born to and found, Cole Appreciation Week 2020, Cole's mom's name will not be used but she will be referenced, Gen, Only because not everyone has seen Season 13 yet, Stories about Cole and his family, Though we all know what her official name is, prepare for fluff, prepare for tears
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-22
Updated: 2020-08-28
Packaged: 2021-03-07 00:55:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 4,533
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26048383
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Five_Foot_Hobbit/pseuds/Five_Foot_Hobbit
Summary: Cole's life has been filled with good times, bad times. Sad times and enraged times. But he gets through them because he is strong, in body, mind, and his family bond with his team.
Series: Ninjago Prompts [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1890904
Comments: 22
Kudos: 23





	1. Day 1: Flowers

**Author's Note:**

> To celebrate Cole's voice actor's birthday, and for him bringing to life the best Ninja in Ninjago, there is a prompt going on Instagram called #coleappreciationweek2020. So I'm writing stories based on the seven prompts given, mostly all will focus on Cole but the others will be sprinkled in. Also I know Cole's mom's name has been revealed but I'm treating these stories like it hasn't, or he just doesn't want to say her name for fear of breaking down in ugly sobs. 
> 
> Also there will be no pairings, just good, wholesome family bonding. So please enjoy and go appreciate Cole.

* * *

Cole’s footsteps crunched on the gravel path of his old hometown’s cemetery.

The headstones close to the entrance gleamed in colorful stones. From white marble to reddish-tan granite.

Many were carved into elaborate sculptures depicting a plethora of creatures, ranging from Dragons, a Phoenix, even a Walliper for some reason.

Others were simple shapes like hearts, symbols of the sun and moon. One had the deceased couples’ Yin/Yang symbols carved from pure black granite.

As he walked further in, the headstones were replaced by simple plaques inlaid in the grassy earth, though each one was no less special or important.

They were adorned with family crests, specific words, or phrases.

Some even looked to have the mark of Spinjitzu on them.

Cole’s eyes were probably just playing tricks on him with that one.

He blinked up at the sun, which while bright and warm, was not overbearing. In fact, it felt like Cole was being wrapped in a comforting hug while he walked underneath the huge golden orb’s ethereal glow.

His foot caught on a tree root and almost caused him to toss the bouquet he clutched in his hands.

Luckily, his ninja and dance training had him regaining his balance without so much as disturbing the beautiful blossoms.

Checking to make sure no other unexpected surprise roots stood in his way, the young Master of Earth took a right down a grassy trail that was much more worn.

Rocks long since given way to soft dirt and sand.

The headstones here were far less outrageous and grand as well.

All were severely weathered and only simple grey stone was placed on top to mark the grave.

Crumbling with every storm that cut through the area until there was nothing but pebbles remaining.

Cole stopped to gaze at a particularly eroded one, the names too worn away by nature’s wrath to make out who the person sleeping beneath the grass was.

Bowing his head, he sent the deceased a silent prayer that they are happy in the Departed Realm, or wherever their soul wound up.

Heck for all he knew, this person was a Skeleton in the Underworld.

Even a cursed soul.

While the Cursed Realm was no more, the Preeminent still was. As _she_ was a living entity, who’s to say she still could not collect the souls who had fallen from the path of light and tumbled into the sea of roiling darkness.

Cole felt a cold shutter run down his spine.

Quickly, he jogged passed the decaying headstone and out of the apparent shadow he had not realized had started shrouding him.

Once in the sunlight again, Cole stopped his frantic running and resumed the calming pace he’d started on.

Sticking his nose in the flowers, he took in a deep breath, smelling the perfume that wafted off the ten different types he’d hand-picked early that morning.

Sure, Zane’s flower garden was missing a few now, but it was all for a good cause, as Cole would inevitably have to explain once he got back home.

He ran over their meanings in his head as he walked through the soft, thick grass that curled around his ankles.

_Love, family, strength, bravery, compassion, loyalty…._

And son.

A couple had meanings he couldn’t remember, or were the same meaning as the others, he didn’t really care, he just liked these particular blossoms.

They all reminded him of his youth.

And _her._

Gazing skyward, the Master of Earth stared into the indigo blue that was the sky’s choice of color for this day. His eyes beginning to sting and when he blinked, he felt his lashes become moistened with unshed tears.

His foot grazed a solid block of stone, making him snap his head back downward and realize his feet had taken him to his destination.

The huge, carved black sandstone headstone, in the shape of a mountain with a gleaming orange crystal in the shape of a heart smack dab in the center.

A jewel among all the rubble and weed choked grasses. 

Smiling, with tears now freely running down his sun-kissed cheeks, Cole knelt down and, very precisely, laid his bouquet right next to the engraving on the headstone.

“Hey mom, happy birthday.”


	2. Day 2: Family

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Family isn't just who you're born to, it's those you bond with in your life too. Cole knows both styles very well.

* * *

Cole sat down at his usual seat around the table in the overly modest eating space. Wu was at the end table to Cole’s right, as per usual, already drinking his evening regiment of herbal tea.

“Helps to cleanse the pallet before a meal.” Wu told his Ninja once, when Kai had brought up as to why their Sensei drank the tea before they even had food in front of them.

From what Cole gathered over time, Sensei Wu’s ‘evening tea’ was a much waterier variant of what he normally drank, so it would not fill him up quite as quickly.

Especially on nights that Zane was cooking.

Already, Cole’s mouth watered as the tangy aroma of lemon-grilled chicken filled his nostrils.

There was a garden salad, spiced with chili pepper for an extra flavor kick, fresh whole grain bread from a nearby marketplace, sweet, chilled tea for the other Ninja to drink with dinner, and cake. That cake was especially tempting to the Earth Ninja.

Cole had taken a peek earlier, after he’d gone in the kitchen for a glass of water and spied the multi-layered masterpiece in all its white chocolaty glory.

Once the rest of the team filed in from all corners of the ship, Nya and Jay both looking a lot cleaner than they had an hour before, probably from working on new vehicles and tweaking inventions.

Kai and Lloyd chattering on rapidly over the Fist to Face marathon they’d finished just as the sweet, sweet smell of Zane’s cooking dragged them away from the TV.

They all gathered ‘round the dining table, taking their usual spots, and giving their Sensei a slight bow of their heads. In respect of their Ninja Master.

“Dinner, is served.” Zane walked through the kitchen threshold, carrying the main course as if it were his new bride on their way into their first home together.

“It smells heavenly.” Nya commented as she took in a deep breath through her nose, collecting all the scents of spices and citrus.

“You’ve outdone yourself yet again Zane.” Lloyd grinned while their Nindroid brother smiled softly.

“Thank you, Lloyd, but it is the exact same recipe I have made before, I did not alter anything to it.”

Everyone at the table laughed at their brother’s inability to receive a compliment before tucking into the gourmet meal before them.

Cole observed the rambunctious nature of his team-no, his family.

They hadn’t been together as long as some would think, but with how close they all became within just a few months of meeting one another, all the hardships and trials that had pushed them all to the very limits none of them ever realized they had.

Their bond just seemed to fall in to place so easily.

Cole was an only child and when you grow up as a single child you do what you can to entertain yourself. Making up imaginary friends was a common practice.

Cole never had to go to that extreme, because he’d had such loving parents that filled his life with so much love and joy that he never felt the need to create an invisible friend with his mind.

That didn’t mean he hadn’t wanted a sibling sometimes.

Now, he had six.

Six crazy siblings that drove him up the wall, but he couldn’t imagine his life without any of them.

But more than that, he had his dad back in his life, after all those years following his mom’s death that the two fell out of touch completely.

Worse than after Cole failed the “all important Triple Tiger Sashay” dance when he was a seven-year-old.

He also had Jay’s parents, who had adopted each and every one of the Ninja as soon as they met.

For a short time, even Dr. Julien had been part of their ever-growing family.

Garmadon too, once he became good, and Misako as well.

And best of all, Sensei Wu.

He became the father figure Cole felt he had lost after his mom died.

He made Cole feel like he could move mountains, even before he was told about his power over the very earth.

He listened to Cole’s troubles and offered him fatherly advice, that was sometimes more cryptic than Cole wanted but that was just part of the older Ninja’s charm.

Cole didn’t know what he would do now that he had a family again.

Maybe next time they went to see his dad, he’d take his siblings to meet his mom at last.


	3. Day 3: Gaming

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jay shows Cole one of the many games he brought to the Monastery, all Cole wants to do is play it not get a philosophical lesson, that's what their Sensei is for.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I couldn't think of a full story to write for this, so you're just getting a short dialogue from Jay and Cole. Also this takes place before Sensei Wu even recruits Zane so these two guys are still getting used to each other as friends.

* * *

“And then this moves you forward, but if you want to jump up and move forward you press this and that simultaneously. Oh, and for firing the laser you—"

“Jay, I get it! Can we just play already?”

“Okay okay, sheesh Cole, I just don’t want to have to hold your hand throughout the game.

“Isn’t that what NPC’s are for?”

“Yeah but they only tell you _what_ to move, not _why_ you move.”

“That makes no sense whatsoever. Why do I need to know why I should move one way or the other?”

“Because. You’re not just playing a game Cole, you’re living it. Feeling every step your characters takes as if you were them in their world. You gotta understand _why_ you move in that way. Then and only then will you understand the true essence of the game.”

“I have to understand the essence of how to play Battle Laser Master? Where it’s literally Laser Tag but in video game form?”

“Yes, now let’s start!”

“Finally.”


	4. Day 4: Ghost

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The first full night Cole is a ghost and he wonders if he'll ever be as solid, as the very earth he controls, again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We see Cole in the episode after he becomes a ghost try and hug Nya and concentrates enough to become solid for a moment, even if it's just his hand. This would probably take place the night when the team is all back together after their trip to the Cloud Kingdom. Cole may have been able to possess a few things but that doesn't mean he has total concentration over his own body. I hope you like this chapter and it fots for how Cole would react at finally feeling some semblance of being human again. 
> 
> Also I know I said spring here because...I headcanon that Possession took place in late spring. Yes I know they have their New Years celebration in that season but who's to say Ninjago doesn't celebrate its New Year in the late spring/early summer? It'd make sense because it would signify the time of the year when everything is fully in bloom and thriving, just like when the First Spinjitzu Master created Ninjago. Yes, Ronin did say that it was the middle of the dry season and again Ninjago could have its dry season in mid-late spring that goes into summer. This is all just my personal headcanon and anyone can think what they want with the time of the year for Ninjago. Please enjoy this however you wish.

* * *

Cole looked up at the moonless sky that night as the stars, like little lightning bugs, twinkled softly in the velvety midnight blue. His dark eyes clouded, with a greenish mist as his new ghostly body glowed a similar unearthly green.

To think, the _Master of Earth_ now was deemed _unearthly,_ through an unfortunate event that could have all been prevented by so many means.

Ronin could have just handed over the scroll that Cole and the guys already knew he had.

_“I should have just broken his face with that abacus.”_ Cole gruffed.

_“Or better yet, broken everything in that stinky fish hole he calls a shop. Then, we could have taken the scroll and gotten out of there before Morro and his ghost goons popped up and sent us on another ghost chase.”_

Cole clenched and unclenched his fists as he voiced his burning desire to have turned Ronin’s shop upside down.

It would have felt good to unleash some of the pent-up rage the Earth Elemental had been holding in since Morro claimed his baby brother’s body as his host and whisked him off to who knows where.

Plus, he would have gotten his dad’s Blade Cup, replica, trophy back. Bonus points to that.

A warm spring breeze blew through Cole’s body. Normally he’d shiver as the night temps had dropped into the low 40s, which was to be the case when you were sailing through the sky, high above Ninjago’s night-covered land.

But no. The breeze did nothing to him. It didn’t even push his body into a misty substance like those old ghost movies, that Jay and Kai loved to watch, did.

Cole shut his eyes and took in a deep, meditative breath. Feeling his limbs grow heavier and his body much more solid.

_“Concentrate Cole, it’s just like meditating, you’ve done it over a thousand times now. You want to feel anything again. Even if it’s just for a moment.”_

When Cole’s eyes opened, he was gazing at his hands, folded in his crossed legs in the standard meditation pose he would partake in with the others for their Ninja training.

He couldn’t see through his arms, hands, or legs at all.

A soft touch, like a breathy kiss, caressed his left cheek.

He’d felt it!

_“Wahoo! I CAN feel, if I concentrate hard enough!_

_You hear that Yang! You may have made me look like a ghost but that’s not stopping me from being who I am!_

_I am Cole Mason Brookstone, Master of Earth and nothing can tear this mountain down, not even becoming a ghost!”_

“Hey ghost boy! Shut up and get to bed!” The shout of the Bounty’s resident hothead reverberated throughout the still night air.

_“Yeah, yeah, keep your cool, hair gel I’m coming.”_ Cole chuckled as his red brother went back to dream land.

The ghostly Master of Earth phased through the roof that was above the bedroom where he and his brothers slept, landing on the floor without a sound, the newly optimistic ghost teen crawled into his bed, though the covers went right through him. He didn’t care.

Closing his eyes, he let his mind fall into a sound sleep. That is, if ghosts like him even could sleep.


	5. Day 5: Love

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Love can only grow for Cole Brookstone/Hence, especially after his mother died and he didn't want to feel that sensation anymore, and now he finally has six people in his life that he feels worthy of sharing his love with.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What can I say, I'm a sucker for this Ninja family and it still works for this prompt because family love is the strongest love out there and these guys show sibling bonding the best. Also this takes place before Lloyd joins them. Nya is steering the ship and Wu is off meditating but that doesn't mean they aren't as important to Cole's life. Enjoy!

* * *

“Mommy! Mommy! Mommy!” 3-year-old Cole shouted as he tore out the sliding glass door towards his mother, who was kneeling next to the flowerbed her husband planted when they first had Cole.

The toddler launched himself onto her lap, landing with a hard _plop_ on her knees.

“Oof! Hello, my little pebble, what brings you out here?” The Master of Earth wrapped her arms around her boy and cuddled him close to her heart as she stretched her knees out to get the blood flowing again.

Cole had the goofiest grin plastered over his pudgy little face. Gazing up into his mommy’s sweet face he said the three words that made her heat bloom with unfathomable love for her baby boy.

“I ‘ove you!”

“I love you too Cole.”

Mother and son embraced, Cole burying his face into his mommy’s sun-warmed shoulder as she brushed her hand through his untamable mane of coal black hair.

At the kitchen window that faced the backyard, Lou observed the touching scene between his two loved ones.

Stepping out of the open sliding door, the dancer padded out onto the emerald green grass, his loafers softly bending the blades as he walked.

The Master of Earth looked upwards when a large shadow fell over her and her son, motherly instinct activating, and she pulled Cole closer for a split second. Her muscles growing taunt under her skin, until the smiling face of her wonderful husband settled her heart rate down.

“Lou! You scared me there.”

“Daddy!” Cole squealed as Lou carefully squatted down.

“Hello Cole, are you and mommy having fun hugging?” Cole nodded to his father’s question and suddenly let out a sharp yelp as he was pulled into the arms of his daddy.

Lou gathered both his son and his wife but failed to realize that his precarious foot positioning and the sudden added weight of his two family members, sent the three Hences tumbling into the thick grass.

Their laughter echoed throughout the quiet neighborhood.

Cole adored this time when he could be sandwiched between his loving parents.

_But times like this are only treasured in memories for Cole now._

Cole looked out at his teammates on the deck of the Destiny’s Bounty from the top of the staircase that lead to the control room.

The current Master of Earth brought out of his past musing when Jay let out a string of “karate moves”.

“Jay you do know those aren’t real moves.” Kai huffed as his Lightning friend attacked the robotic training dummy with his Nunchucks.

“So says you Kai, but I know for a fact that the great Golden Dragon fighter used these exact moves.”

“I am unfamiliar with this dragon, where might it be and why does it need to fight?” Zane questioned with too much innocence for the teen’s own good.

“He’s talking about a movie character there Zane, not a real dragon.” Cole explained as he came down the stairs, onto the deck.

“Well well, look who’s finally decided to join us. Ready to get blasted rockhead?” Jay slid his left leg back, shifted his right leg forward, and held his nunchucks in a way that would allow for the smoothest movement.

“You’re not really a challenge motormouth, how about three against one?”

Kai smirked and drew his sword without a word. Zane, unsure why Cole wished to fight three of them, plucked his shurikens from their holders and matched Kai and Jay’s stances.

Cole let out a low chuckle as his scythe gleamed in the morning sunlight.

 _Man, I love this family of mine._ Cole thought to himself, grinning as he gave his new brothers a very intense training session. 


	6. Day 6: Style

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cole not may realize it, but he has style. Luckily he's got a brother who knows what it's like to hide part of yourself to fit in, or be somebody you're not.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah, writing this one was hard at first, but then it just sped off in its own direction like a Fast and the Furious car chase. So...enjoy stylish Cole and Lloyd!

* * *

Cole tapped his feet to the beat that expelled from his stereo. His glided across the floor when the guitar rift blared out.

_1…2-step, shuffle…3, sliiiide, and 4._

Cole counted out the rhythm in his head as a drum solo picked up right after the lyrics stopped from the song.

Just as he was about to ruin his knees by sliding on the hard wood floor, he heard a cough from the doorway.

“Uhhh, heya Cole.”

Eyes springing open wide, the Master of Earth was caught. Doing something he swore to his team he would never, ever, EVER, do again unless his literal life depended on it.

Now, here was the youngest member of the Ninja team, rocking back and forth on his heels, watching Cole’s frozen body as if it were a statue in the park.

The music ended, and before the next song could start up Cole hit the off button on the remote he’d had in his hand throughout his routine, faster than Jay could shoot off his mouth, or his lightning.

Neither Ninja spoke, for what felt like hours but the small clock on the wall showed barely a minute had ticked by in the uncomfortable silence.

Lloyd was going to speak first, but his, _literal_ big brother, beat him to it.

“You tell _anyone_ , even your uncle, what you just saw, and you can kiss your comics and candy stash goodbye green machine.” The threat from Cole was all Lloyd needed to ‘zip his lips shut’ and pretend to lock them.

With his secret now kept, Cole stood up and walked to where he had a bottle of water. Uncapping the beverage, he drank half of it in one gulp, like a thirsty explorer traipsing through the Sea of Sand.

“Now, why did you come over here Lloyd?” Cole looked into Lloyd’s young face, his own much calmer than it had been two seconds ago, and this made the young Chosen One visibly relax his tiny, tense body.

“I-I um….” Lloyd paused, his voice cracking as if he had also run through the desert in search of an oasis which to drink from.

Noting the kid’s demeanor, Cole snagged the extra water he had and walked over to his _little brother_ , holding the bottle out in means of a peace offering to the scared youth.

“Sorry about that threat Lloyd, I just don’t want the others to realize that I—”

“Have the coolest moves I’ve ever seen?!” Lloyd’s sudden turnaround from timid ten-year-old to starry-eyed fanboy was another shock to the Earth Ninja.

“Wait, what?”

“Those sick dance moves you were just doing, they rocked! How-how’d you do that slide without falling on your face? And, and not going all the way into the wall too? What about splinters on your feet, do you have any or have you had them before? And what about—”

“Jeez kid, slow down. You’re talking as fast as Jay does when he gets hyped up about his inventions, or Nya.”

“O-Oh, sorry.” Lloyd’s cheeks blushed a light crimson color, almost matching Kai’s favorite sweatshirt.

“Don’t worry about, it’s cute on you, annoying on ol’ Motormouth.” Cole chuckled and Lloyd giggled.

“So, you…liked my dancing?” Cole rubbed the back of his hair, embarrassment written all over his face, though this time not for being found out about his secret, but from being complimented profusely on actually being good.

“Are you kidding?! I LOVED it! You Cole, have _style._ ”

“S-Style? M-Me? Uhhh, geez Lloyd I wouldn’t go that far. I mean yeah, I’m sort of good, but I’m still way to rusty. That slide I did, I could have done it plus some twists, if I had the time to that is.” Ninja training, Garmadon watching, and trying to fit in being just normal teenagers was hard work.

Cole trying to fit his dance practice in all that was downright impossible.

“Well, I thought it was good and…maybe….” Lloyd paused, looked down at his green tennis shoe clad feet, and shuffled them around as he muttered under his breath.

Cole smirked lightly and bent his head closer.

“What was that Green Bean, didn’t quite catch what you’d said there?”

“I said—” He mumbled a bit louder, but still Cole pretended not to hear.

“One more time, just a biiiit louder.”

“I SAID CAN YOU TEACH ME THOSE MOVES TOO!!!!” Lloyd yelled so loud that the rest of the ship most definitely could have heard him.

Cole quickly backed off, rubbing at his ringing ears, regretting going as far as he did with his _brotherly humor_ towards the young Green Ninja.

“Yeow, okay, I got the message. Literally _loud and clear._ ”

“Sorry Cole....Will you…will you please teach me some of those moves? They could come in really handy fighting uh…you know—” Before Lloyd could finish, Cole wrapped his arm around the boy’s lithe shoulders and tugged him to his side for a hug.

“Sure kid, I guess if I’m as stylish as you say then it’s only fitting that I teach you how to be just as stylish.” Cole flicked his head, so his hair flipped up. A very Kai like maneuver and one Lloyd wasted no time pointing out and laughing.

“You sound just like Kai now.”

The Earth Ninja let out a hardy laugh too.

“Kai _wishes_ he could dance like me. Now, let’s get started.” Cole turned the stereo back on, Lloyd shed his green sweatshirt and stood next to his super strong brother, ready to learn how to be just as stylish with his own moves as Cole was.


	7. Day 7: Cake

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pixal and Cole bake a cake and they both bond over not being great chefs, though Pixal is better at it than Cole.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What a better way to end the Cole Appreciation Week than with Cole's favorite thing, cake. I loved writing these prompts and I want to write more of them in the future, may draw some too. Thank you for reading these, and helping to appreciate Cole and his voice actor. May you all continue to stay safe, healthy, and appreciate those in your life. 
> 
> Also yes the "girlfriend" in this chapter is my OC I pair with Cole, she's not mentioned by name because she decided to sneak herself into the story last minute.
> 
> And for added fun, I added that scene from season 4 where Cole and Zane are running from Clouse's Serpent and Cole says to Zane, "Pixal, you got a girl stuck in your head?" That line...kinda hurts whenever I hear him say it. Yeah he probably just meant the timing wasn't right for Zane to be thinking about Pixal but still it could have been worded a lot better. So Cole apologizes to Pixal, who had already forgiven him a long time ago, same with Zane. As for Cole's girlfriend forgiving him...well you'll have to wait till I post THAT story. Enjoy this final chapter.

* * *

“Now it says to add 1 and 1/3rd cups of flour.”

“Are you sure, I was sure the last time Zane made this it said 1 and ½ cups?”

“No, it clearly states on this card, 1 and 1/3rd cups of flour. Perhaps it had been you who added 1 and ½ cups?”

“Oh yeah, and then the whole thing overflowed in the pan and was completely dried out.”

“Hmm, I very much remember that, when Zane came in to find out what the burning smell was.”

“You-you really saw that?”

“Yes. I could see everything that Zane could when I was…occupying his processor.”

“…Hey Pix?”

“Yes Cole?”

“I’m…I’m really sorry for what I said back on Chen’s Island when Zane, myself, and you, were escaping Clouse’s Serpent. I didn’t mean that to sound harsh. Or that thinking about girls is a bad thing I just—”

“It is alright Cole. I understand that the particular situation wasn’t the ideal time to tell you what Zane and I had gone through, so your comment while not very polite, wasn’t unwarranted.”

“So, you really do forgive me for sounding like a jerk?”

“I do. And so does Zane. And, I’m more than sure a certain other girl has long since forgiven you as well?”

“Yeah, she has.”

“Good. Now then, please add the 1 and 1/3rd cups of flour to the wet ingredients so we might finish this cake before Zane and the others return.”

“You got it! Oh whoops, I think I added too much.”

“Oh Cole.”

“Uhhh, h-how about you add the ingredients and I’ll read off the last few steps?”

“That is a very wise idea.”

“Okay then, add in a tablespoon of vanilla.”

“Done. Oh, wait, this was half a teaspoon.”

“That’s okay just add in another to even it out. Though, I think Lloyd really likes extra vanilla in his cake so maybe just a little more?”

“Wait Cole we really should stick to the instructions!”

“C’mon, what’s a little extra sweetness gonna do? Now for the dash of salt.”

“Dash? I thought it was a pinch?”

“Nope it says dash on here.”

“Alright, a dash it is then.”

“Okay last is the bag of chocolate chips.”

“Um, was that the whole bag or half the bag?”

“Hmm, it just says one bag so I’m guessing the whole thing. Do we have enough?”

“Not of the regular chocolate chips but I do believe there was a bag of strawberry flavored ones.”

“Perfect, nothing goes better with chocolate than strawberry!”

“There, equal amounts of both. Now we mix.”

“Okay Pixal, here’s the spoon--no wait the mixer is--”

“…Broken. I remember now….”

“ _*snort*_ W-Well at least it’s all mixed up.”

“Just put it in the proper pans while I clean up.”

“You got it baking buddy.”

“And make sure it is set at the correct time to bake at Cole!”

“Okay, okay, it is.”

“Thank you. Now then, we should finish cleaning up before making the frosting. Where is Zane’s recipe for it?”

“Here it is! Oh, heh looks like that molasses was extra sticky. And some egg whites splashed on it too.”

“ _*sighs*_ Let us hope that I can fully remember what Zane put in it in order to make it properly.”

“...I’ll start washing these dishes.”

“Excellent idea. Baking buddy.”

_By the time their teammates got back home, the smell of partially burnt baked goods permeated the air. Everyone rushed to the dining room where Cole and Pixal stood, presenting a lopsided looking cake._

_Melting chocolate chips, swirling in a brownish/pink mass cooled at the base of the plate it sat on._

_The frosting was both lumpy and smooth, with bits of strawberries and blueberries tossed in random on the multicolored icing._

“Hey guys, Pixal and I made you all a cake!”

“I promise that it shall taste better than it appears.”

_Everyone just laughed and sat down as Cole carefully cut a slice for each person._

“Is that molasses sticking to the knife?” _Nya questioned, while her boyfriend stared at his piece, fork raised in defense, fearing it would grab onto the utensil and stab him._

“Yes. Though we may have added a bit too much.”

“I told you Pix, it was 1/3rd cup, not 2/3rd's.”

“Yes, and then you told me it was not enough, which is why I took over reading the directions.”

_More laugher followed as they all dug into the funny looking dessert. Which actually really was better tasting than it appeared._

_Cole and Pixal even received sticky kisses from their respective girlfriend and boyfriend for a job well done._

“Maybe we should be baking buddies more often?”

“Hey if we can turn out a decently tasting cake without anything burning too badly, I’d say you’ve got yourself a co-baking partner.”


End file.
